Method of making alloys



UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

' HERMANN e. c. THOFEHRN, or MEw Yoax; M. Y., assrenon. To LIGHT METALS 00..

OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

METHOD or Maxme armors.

1,310,310. No fiirawing.

Todll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN G. C. T110:

I FEHRN, a citizen of the United States,- and a resident of New York, in the count of 'New York and State of New York, ave. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Alloys; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same. a

This invention. relates to improvements in the method of making alloys and more particularly to an improved method of mak-' ing an alloy of aluminum, magnesium and uranium,the object of .the invention being to produce an allo having great tensile strength, and whic shall, at the same time be very light in weight.

ith this object in view, the invention consists in certain novel steps in the method of making an alloy of the character specified, as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the-claims.

In carr out the method for the production 'o the alloy, I -first place in a suit- -able crucible or container a quantity of uranium oxid sufiicient to provide in the finished alloy a uranium content offrom 0.01 to 0.3 per cent., and apply heat to raise the temperature of the said uranium oxid to a bright red heat. I then introduce alu-,

,minum 1n the proportion of from 94 to 98 per-cent. and when the mass has become molten, I 'add magnesium in the propor;

tion of from 2 to 6 per cent. As these'mo'lten metals react upon the uranium oxid, the latter will be reduced to metal which is dissolved throughout the whole mass.

In order. to avoid the metal retaining gases which would make it porous, I agitate the molten mass with the use of an iron rod having a disk of iron on one end. With the use of this tool, Iperform a pumping action in the molten mass, agrtatmg the same gently'and causing the disk or headed end of the tool to remain under the surface of the mass to avoid splashin Such gentle agitation will cause gases whic Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application filed December 15, 1917. Serial No. 207,312.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The herein described method, consisting inraising-thej temperature of uranium oxid to a br ghtrejdheat inaycont'ainer, adding to said uranium oxid', aluminum and maintaining'the temperature sufficiently high torender the aluminum molten, and

- then adding magnesium, and causing reactions which will reduce the uranium oxid to metal dissolved throughout the entire mass.

2. The herein described method consisting in heating uranium oxid to a bright red heat in a container, adding aluminum to said uranium oxid, maintaining sulficient heat to render the aluminum molten,

thenadding magnesium, and finally agitating the molten mass by a umping action therein to expel any gases w ich it may con- 3. The-herein described method consisting in first raising to a bright red heat the 85 temperature of uranium oxid correspondingm quantity to from 0.01 to 0.3 percent. of the uranium content of the'finished product; then adding aluminum in the proportion of from 94: to 98 per cent., rendering the aluminum molten, and then adding to the molten mass, magnesium in the propor tion of from 2 to 6 per cent.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HER li/IANN G. O. THOFEHRN. Witnesses: v

DONALD H. MOLEAM, VIVIAN L. Aomnne. 

